Rio women cut down Mighty Oaks

Rio Grande Sports Information
     OAKLAND CITY, Ind. - The University of Rio Grande's streak of games with 11 or more three-pointers was snapped, but the same couldn't be said of the RedStorm's winning streak.
     The RedStorm used a 10-0 spurt to erase a one-point first quarter deficit and went on to post an easy 89-57 win over Oakland City University, Saturday afternoon, in River States Conference women's basketball action at the Johnson Center.
     Rio Grande, ranked No. 8 in the latest NAIA Top 25 coaches' poll, won for a 13th straight time and improved to 22-1 overall and 11-0 in league play.
     The host Mighty Oaks dropped to 2-22 overall and 1-11 against RSC foes.
     Oakland City led 14-13 after a layup bu Paula Barajas Ruiz with 2:52 remaining in the opening stanza, but a jumper in the lane by Rio junior Sophia Kline (Sugar Grove, OH) with 24 seconds left in the period culminated a 10-0 run by the visitors and gave the RedStorm a 23-14 cushion.
     Things only got easier for head coach David Smalley's squad the rest of the way.
     The Rio lead reached 15 points by halftime, 47-32, and 26 points, 70-44, by the end of the third quarter.
     The RedStorm's biggest advantage of the day was 37 points, 87-50, after a layup by freshman Emma Clary (Crown City, OH) with 2:00 left to play.
     Rio Grande shot 45 percent overall (34-for-78), but was only 3-for-18 from beyond the three-point arc after connecting on 11 or more trifectas in each of its last four games.
     The RedStorm also went 18-for-22 at the foul line (81.8%) and enjoyed a 50-36 edge in rebounding.
     Kline led Rio's winning effort with a career-best 25 points, while senior Marlee Grinstead (Albany, OH) and freshman Allie Ellyson (Glenville, WV) tossed in 18 points each and sophomore Josie Graves (Barboursville, WV) tallied 10 points as well as a team-high nine rebounds and three steals.
     Senior Marina Garcia Perez (Leon, Spain) handed out six assists and freshman Alyssa Baker (Marietta, OH) also had three steals.
     Oakland City shot just 35.5 percent overall (22-for-62) and 18.8 percent from distance (3-for-16), while also committing 27 turnovers which produced 25 Rio points.
     Allyson Rideout was the only double-digit scorer for the Mighty Oaks, while Desheonna Foster yanked down a game-best 14 rebounds and Elise Williams finished with four assists.
     Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday night when it hosts West Virginia University-Tech in a 5:30 tipoff at the Newt Oliver Arena.